Hey guys,

With my tax back in a couple of weeks I want to finally boost up the system in my car. I'll cover the basics. It's a series 2 TJ VRX, so I've got the factory tweeter pods on the doors. I listen to rock mostly, mainly Tool, The Smashing Pumpkins and Filter. I don't think a sub is necessary for this, so I'll be going sub-less. I already have Pioneer 6x9's on the shelf, and an amp ,a Pioneer GM-X424. I've got a $2100 budget, and will need the system installed by a professional. So first off:

What Head Unit do you recommend? I'm definately looking at a DVD player, however I'd prefer one that will fit comfortably in the double din. If I get a motorised player, I don't want it to cover my climate controls.

What splits would be perfect for my taste in music? I had a set of Pioneers before, probably a cheap version, but eitherway they couldnt handle it and distorted quite easily. What fits best in the VRX doors, 6" or 6.5"? And does the depth of the speakers matter? IE, will they hit the window or is there plenty of room behind the trim?

Do I need another amp? Will the amp I have properly support the front splits and the 6x9's or should I get another amp and use one for the front and one for the back?

Any other suggestions are more than welcome.

Please consider a subwoofer... The feeling of a replicated double-kick bass drum hitting your back is a thing of beauty :)

Good double din JVC / Eclipse unit with DVD and screen should set you back around $1400. The rest I would spend on a decent pair of front splits / amp and deadening. Wait till next year and add a fully sick subwoofer. Hertz and Boston make some great value splits, Audison, Soundstream etc make some decent 2 channel amps.

i dont have a sub in my car. but alot of my mates do and personally i like the sound in my car better then theirs. they drive past and all you can hear is the car vibrating as it drives past. and when your in the car your just hear masses of bass.

i dont like that. bass is good. but to much is not good.

i dont like that. bass is good. but to much is not good.
Then turn it down...

If you dont have the full range of frequencies you aren't doing the music justice. It doesnt have to be loud, or pumping, a balanced sound should be the goal.

But to ignore one aspect of the frequency range to me is the equivalent of driving around without vocals.

A small 10" sub can do the job well.

Even some 8" subs can give a decent whack of bass.

Like some, first off I didn't think I needed bass with some 6x9's and 6.5 splits but after a while you become to thirst for it. Once you sit in a decently tuned and set-up car playing your choice of music you quickly find out that subwoofer you thought was just for wankers actually has a purpose and it's what you didn't know you've been missing but now need it.

JL make good woofers, a 10W3 or 12W3 would be nice. or maybe a DD 508 or 1508, they're known to crank hard if you want them too..

Subbass can bring the music alive, it really is worth it. hell, with a 4 channel amp, run the fronts and bridge the rears to run a low-powered sub like an alpine type S, you'll agree once you do it, pity that pioneer amp sucks the balls. it's weaker than your internal mosfet amp in pretty much 100% of all HU's. Sell it and get a nice 4 channel like a response(jaycar).

I was planning on running the wires for a sub, but as of this stage, I dont really want to budget for it. :)

I don't think it would be hard to Budget for it.

Kenwood D/D 7" DVD - $998
MTX 6" Splits - $148
Pioneer Boxed 12" Sub - $289
Pioneer 800W Mono Bloc - $299

Get it installed and there will be change for beer. Check your PMs

What size are the speakers in the front doors? 4,5,or 6"?

What size are the speakers in the front doors? 4,5,or 6"?

6", and you can fit up to a 6.5"

personally i'd say:
JVC KW-AWX800 Double Din DVD player - $950 (ebay)
Current pioneer amp (70Wx2) for front splits
Response Splits - $150ish
leave 6x9s unamped
Response AA-0424 Amp - 500W RMSx1 - $250
2xResponse 10" Subs - $240

$1600 before install

yeah, over budget, but better than anything else i've seen suggested so far :)

Cheers mate

I went to Strathfield and JB Hi Fi looking around. Strathfield didn't know the size of the speakers, and neither did I.

Strathfield recommend the Kenwood DDX7039 deck. $1600 or near enough. JB hifi has a Pioneer AVH-P6850DVD on special for just under $1400. I'm definately leaning towards the Pioneer. Only thing is the car audio guy from JB was a complete jackass, refusing to write the prices down for me as 'he doesnt do quotes'. Ill head to another JB and see if they'll match, cos that moron isn't getting my business.

Has anyone heard the Pioneer TSC-1625 splits? There on special for about $170 down from $300 something

please try going to a car audio store (by that i dont mean jb hifi and strathies)... a number of the sales people there havent heard alternate brands, and so just plug what they have (also part of their sales)... please do yourself a favour and go somewhere more high-end... while you may not end up spending that sort of money, it will do some good listening to the alternates, and making ur mind up.

i know theres atleast a couple of guys on this forum who work at strathies, but seriously do urself a favour and listen to something else. pioneer/alpine aint exactly the peak of the mountain, tho those guys make u think it is.

just may be a bit more of a humbling experience i guess :) and the more places u go 2, the less u listen to wat they say, and listen to the speakers urself ;)

oh and take a cd along (not mp3) and ask to listen to it, choose something with lots of different pitches (metallica's s&m does it for me, lots of bass and lots of highs, good test for splits)

*ps the pioneer sounds good, tho theyre not the only ones doing it for $1400 linky (http://www.ryda.com.au/Pioneer-AVH-P6850DVD-In-Dash-DVD-Player-p/avhp6850dvd.htm)

please try going to a car audio store (by that i dont mean jb hifi and strathies)... a number of the sales people there havent heard alternate brands, and so just plug what they have (also part of their sales)... please do yourself a favour and go somewhere more high-end... while you may not end up spending that sort of money, it will do some good listening to the alternates, and making ur mind up.

i know theres atleast a couple of guys on this forum who work at strathies, but seriously do urself a favour and listen to something else. pioneer/alpine aint exactly the peak of the mountain, tho those guys make u think it is.

just may be a bit more of a humbling experience i guess :) and the more places u go 2, the less u listen to wat they say, and listen to the speakers urself ;)

oh and take a cd along (not mp3) and ask to listen to it, choose something with lots of different pitches (metallica's s&m does it for me, lots of bass and lots of highs, good test for splits)

*ps the pioneer sounds good, tho theyre not the only ones doing it for $1400 linky (http://www.ryda.com.au/Pioneer-AVH-P6850DVD-In-Dash-DVD-Player-p/avhp6850dvd.htm)

x2 They will sell you what they have lots of, not what will do the job best. You should ask them why splits are better then co-axials and see what they can come up with..

Yeah, I ebayed the Pioneer and can get it for $1100 I think.

Fair call on the audio places. Thats why I come back here and ask you guys. I dont know of any pure car audio places around where I am. Guess I should get off my butt and look harder.

Yeah, I ebayed the Pioneer and can get it for $1100 I think.

Fair call on the audio places. Thats why I come back here and ask you guys. I dont know of any pure car audio places around where I am. Guess I should get off my butt and look harder.

post up where you are in ur state section, i'm sure u'll get a heads up where to check out :)